


The Sea Sings Our Names

by GreenJewel



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Demon Thorin, Fluff, M/M, Mermaid Thranduil, Slow Build, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-31
Updated: 2015-12-31
Packaged: 2018-05-10 16:31:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5593198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenJewel/pseuds/GreenJewel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thorin had lived his fisherman life forever. He had no plans, no future, no one to care about. What a sad life he always thought. But for once after such a long time, magic came into his life and made he was thankful for the boring life he dreaded day by day. </p><p>The beautiful magic creature has a name: Thranduil. And he was a magnificent sight everyone would wish for a chance to gaze at.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Sea Sings Our Names

**Author's Note:**

  * For [eikyuuyuki](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eikyuuyuki/gifts).



> I've got you under my skin.  
> I've got you deep in the heart of me.  
> So deep in my heart that you're really a part of me.  
> I'd sacrifice anything come what might  
> For the sake of havin' you near  
> In spite of a warnin' voice that comes in the night  
> And repeats, repeats in my ear:  
> Don't you know, little fool, you never can win?
> 
> Lyrics from I've got you under my skin. The song inspired me for this fic.

 Thorin blinked his eyes for the hundredth time to make sure they were not deceiving him. The view was too beautiful to be real and too painful it seemed. He woke up early in the morning dreading over another on-going day with nothing else to do except facing his loneliness. Thorin had lived his life for how long he lost the count, probably a hundred year? The immortal life was only a part of his curse; the form he had to bear was another. He had never enjoyed his life but he was slightly thankful now it gave him a chance to witness this rare beauty with his own eyes: a mermaid. The magical creature got stuck on the shallow water area of the bay. Its upper body was resting on the rock’s surface and Thorin could see the fish tail hiding under the water and randomly twisting up.

 Thorin kept staring; his hands were holding tightly to the rope he took to sail his ship for no apparent reason. But then the mermaid’s cough pulled him back to the reality and he took steps closer to observe.

 “Are you okay?”, he stood on the shore with the nearest distance he allowed himself to the rock that the mermaid was resting on.

 Hearing his question, the mermaid turned its head and looked at him strangely. He was a merman, more exactly. But his hair was long and golden, more beautiful than any girls’ hair in the village nearby that Thorin would usually cast shy glares at. He had always admired that smooth silky hair and wished for a chance to run his fingers through that. But a wish forever stayed a wish to him, Thorin knew that very well. he would not dare to spend time gazing admiring at the golden long hair for too long. He knew his place in this society.

 But the merman’s hair was golden and shining, the wet strings clinging onto this shoulder and his chest as he faced Thorin. His eyes were dazed and tired as he locked eyes with Thorin for quite sometime before he mouthed weakly something inaudible. So Thorin jumped on the rock and kneeled down next to his side. Then the merman pointed towards his tail; the sparkling silver tail. Thorin leaned down to see that it was stuck between the cracks of two rocks and there were scratches from the bottom of the tail up to the body.

 Thorin’s heart clenched at the sight. Blood was his pleasure and both his guilt. But being on such a beautiful skin, the red drops of blood ruined the sight and Thorin wanted to change it.

 Thorin put his hand on the merman’s shoulder; the man shuddered and moved back a bit. Thorin couldn’t blame him though. Everyone facing him would feel the same way; being in a dangerous situation, being threatened no matter what Thorin did. He retreated his hands and tried to speak in the softest way possible his rough voice can make.

 “Listen, stay here. I’m going down there and see if I can help you out, okay? I’m not going to hurt you.”, he looked at the merman’s beautiful eyes bearing the color of the sea and saw clearly the hesitation the creature struggled with. But then the merman quietly nod; so Thorin stood up, pulled off his shirt and dived into the cold water to check the wound.

Luckily Thorin was strong and strength wasn’t the only thing he had. With some tricks, he soon managed to pull the fish tail out of the rocks. It was bleeding more because several deep cut. The merman pulled himself further on the rock; the tail left the surface completely and he was panting so hard Thorin worried.

Thorin kneeled next to the merman and watched him carefully. He wanted to check his pulse to know his health but then he retreated his hand in time. Such big and ugly calloused hands like his shouldn’t be put on such a perfect smooth skin. The contrast was too great and Thorin would be ashamed to see that. But to his surprise, the merman reached out towards him. Thorin stared confusedly at the offered hands and when the merman arched his brow waiting, Thorin took it and pull it forward so the merman could sit up and gained his breath. 

 

“I’m Thorin”, he hated how rough his voice sounded. It could send people running miles away before they wanted to spend time with him. 

“Thranduil. Thank you for helping me out.”, the merman replied in his beautiful silky voice which just made Thorin felt even more inadequate to have this conversation. 

“You’re welcome. Now we need to bind your wounds.”, he motioned towards the red stains spreading over the silver tail.

Thranduil glared at it briefly and then he shrugged. “Wait for it a bit”, he said.

Thorin looked at him curiously. They said mermaids have magic and may be now he could witness that. Another magical thing was too much for his day.

 But things didn’t meet his expectation completely. He thought the wounds would heal itself but instead Thorin just stared in awe when the sweashing sound was made and Thranduil’s silver tail slowly turned into a pair of leg. Now the merman was resting his whole naked body on the rock with the slightly pink legs. 

“Can you please?”, the merman asked weakly and Thorin snapped out of the amazement.

“I’m sorry. Do you need help?”, he asked, hurriedly offering his hand for the merman to hold onto.

“My tails would turn into legs if they were dry for long. I thought it would be easier to bind the wounds on the surface so I changed it. But I’m too weak to walk on this human thing”, Thranduil studied his reactions carefully.

“Right”, Thorin cleared his throat. “I’ll carry you inside then”, he moved behind Thranduil’s place, putting the man’s arm over one of his shoulder and bend down to pick him up.

Thranduil groaned quietly at the contact. Thorin could see the cuts on the tail were deep on his right leg and several scratches. He got to the shore safely and put Thranduil in a cave nearby.

 

“It would be better if you stay here than at my house, closer to the sea right?”, he asked and Thranduil replied him with a small smile. It was brief but it’s the most enchanting thing someone had ever given to him. And Thorin smiled back; his eyes took in the man’s charm with the clear blue eyes, thick eyebrows, straight nose and perfect rosy lips. He then drifted down to the collar bones, broad shoulders and chest. The creature’s skin was pale, flawless and smooth. Thorin cleared his throat and ran out of the cave.

Thranduil frowned at the man’s sudden move. He thought things were going well between them; his magical form didn’t scare the human even a bit. He was always afraid human wouldn’t take in the concept of mermaids so well but this man seemed to be no strange to those magic things. Probably because he spent his whole life on this shore, Thranduil thought.

But Thorin came back right away carrying a large blanket, a thin robe and put it down next to Thranduil’s side. The merman gave him a thank-you nod and Thorin turned away to give him space. Thranduil chuckled; the man’s manner is strange for a fisherman because the merman had spent his days watching the ships come and go. All those fishermen were hard-working, strong but also noisy, drunk and rude. Thorin was nothing like that.

 At first sight, Thranduil would be scared of this man, muscular man with his long curly messy hair covered with the salty scent of sea and fish. A large scar ran across his cheek from the ear-lobe to his chin. The skin’s surface was changed into a crippled layer on his right cheek. All of those combined together put a dangerous warning on Thorin’s appearance to anyone planning to approach him. And Thranduil was no exception. But now he relaxed more as he could tell the human meant him no harm, from the way he gently removed his tail from the rock, carefully wrap his arms to carry Thranduil inside and now step by step binding Thranduil’s wounds as he dressed fully. 

“Thank you”, Thranduil said and Thorin glared at him briefly.

“You need to stay here and rest. The cut was really bad. But I have to work now. Do you think you can manage until I’m back?”, Thorin asked as he gathered his stuffs. 

“Oh certainly I can”, Thranduil said cheerfully. It couldn’t be that bad, he tried to keep his mood up and gave Thorin a bright assuring smile.

 

o0o

 Thorin had never wanted his days to end so badly as he did now. Most of the time he couldn’t concentrate on anything but the image of Thranduil sleeping in a cave near the shore and would greet him a sweet smile when he’s back.

“Snap out of your silly dream”, he reminded himself. Because that’s what it was, all he imagined was just another construct of his desperate desire for a family, for someone to love him.

 Thorin had heard stories of the fishermen gossiping every nights when they were drunk, how their wives welcomed them home with kisses and whispers. He listened to those same stories every day, every year, enough to set a fire of hope in his heart that some day, he would enjoy the same view too. But Thorin knew he was just fooling himself. Part of his curse was to have an immortal life; and the other part was to be unloved. Because who else would want to be in love with a demon. 

"Leaving so soon?", a fisherman asked as he saw Thorin gathered his things.

"Yes, I need to go to a market to get something", he replied.

"Of course you do, Christmas is coming.", the man added more with a cheerful smile. 

Thorin found it ironic how human can be so happy at the simple thought of Christmas. He had no special favors to this holiday; but again it could be because of his simple lonely life. Nothing is strong enough to light up his holiday break; Thorin had spent a hundred years enough to know that whatever he wanted as a human life, he could never gain. Still he bid everyone a good night and ran to the market in time before it closed. 

 

Thorin reached the cave when the sun had set down and darkness surrounded everything. But it wasn't hard for him to locate Thranduil's place. His eyesight was better for a human luckily. Thranduil had moved a bit deeper in the cave dragging the robe and the blanket along. He was sleeping soundly, his body curling into a ball.

"Thorin?", the merman raised his head and asked suddenly as he picked up Thorin's steps.

"I'm here", he stepped closer to Thranduil's place.

"How are your wounds?" 

"Stop bleeding, I suppose."

Thranduil skimmed the surrounding as he answered. And Thorin realized that the merman probably saw nothing in this darkness.

He stepped up and unpacked things he gathered from the market. Quickly he built a small pile of wood nearby. Thorin sighed as he recognized what he forgot to take, the matches. He cursed inwardly as there was no way he could go outside and get some at this hour. He had other options with his tricks; but what if Thranduil noticed. 

 Thorin was quiet as he considered what to do. He was not certain if he could set fire to the woods either. It was long since he last did this and in fact, he tried living his life as normal as he could, turning away from the inhuman thing about himself. 

But finally he did anyway after making sure his seating place would block Thranduil's view on how he got the fire on. 

"Let me check your wound", he returned to Thranduil's side and unbounded to check his leg.

 

Thranduil's eyes softened as he watched Thorin carefully and gently washed his wounds, put some herbs on it and then bind it back again. It's strange how Thorin's big hands could make such soft touches on his leg as if the human was scared he could break Thranduil if he was any stronger. Indeed that's what was on Thorin's mind. He found the merman to be so slender and fragile even though the muscles on Thranduil's arms and body told the opposite. But Thorin was after all, stronger than most of the men so he always told himself to go easy to avoid hurting other people.

"How did you make the fire?", the merman asked as They shared a simple dinner. 

"I...use the matches", he lied. 

"Really", Thranduil arched his brows and Thorin ignored him.

"Show me", the merman asked. His lips curl into a smirk as he watched Thorin shifting uncomfortably.

"You have no matches with you right? So how did you make the fire? Was it magic? How come a human got magic? Come on, you've gotta show me", Thranduil pressed further and further with each questions.

Thorin had no idea this merman could be so annoying with his long lists of questions. And one thing Thorin learnt from years living alone, he hated the noise and being interrogated. 

"That's none of your business!", Thorin didn't mean to shout. He just lost control and his real voice sounded too harsh and intimidating that Thranduil shifted back immediately. 

"I - ", his eyes opened wide as he notice Thranduil's reactions. He reached his hands forward to calm the merman but he still gave him a cautious look. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout", he lowered his head in regret and then moved back further from Thranduil resting at the other side of the fire,

This was exactly what he feared, that he always intimidated people in some ways. if Thranduil wasn't scared by his appearance, his scar before, he certainly was now with his ruthless behavior. The two kept quiet yet Thranduil randomly cast curious glares at the human who was good at pretending to be busy.

"I'm a merman", Thranduil broke the silence. 

"Yeah, I noticed", Thorin said without lifting his head.

"What secret is stranger than a merman that you could not tell me? You knew mine.", Thranduil carefully picked his words.

He wasn't mad at Thorin shouting at him. He was worried the human may bear a burden in his chest that was too hard to bring it up; yet somehow talking about it could make he feel better so Thranduil wanted to try. 

"I am cursed", Thorin spoke quietly, eyes fixing on the fire where he could see his past playing in front of his own eyes.  

Being young, stubborn and stupid, he disrespected a god and that was the price he had to pay: bearing the form of a demon, the ugliest form to keep everyone away from him, to turn his family against him, to be kicked and criticized by his own people, to be exiled of his own land. He was desperate at first seeking his death but it was impossible because now he was an immortal. So then he moved on, found a new place where no one knew about him and started a new life. Sometimes he would forget about his curse; but most of the time when loneliness took over him, Thorin wished dearly for a start-over. He gave up his dream part by part year after year and came to accept this: a lonely soul living forever. 

Thorin had no idea why he told Thranduil all of that. It's been so long since he had someone to talk to, to share his story. In fact, Thranduil was the first to know. And when he finished, Thorin looked up catching Thranduil's eyes and he felt content because be made a right decision. He saw no judgement in the merman's blue eyes, just deep contemplation and sympathy. 

 "So yes, I have some magic tricks. It came in full package with the demon form", Thorin suddenly changed his tone, stood up and walked over to the merman's side surprising him too. 

 

Then he showed Thranduil how he could set the fire. He made a small ball of fire in his palm and lifting it up so The merman could see look at it clearly. Thranduil gazed at the blue fire with wonders and fascination in his eyes focusing on the small spark of fire at the center jumping and dancing.

Just when Thorin thought this show-off was enough, he put his hand down and put off the fire. But Thranduil held his wrist stopping him. Giving Thorin a slightly head shake, the merman continued watching the fire ball while Thorin again froze at the contact. Thranduil's fingers were long and soft holding his wrist tightly. He gazed mesmerized at the merman's eyes twinkling with the fire reflection, his lips slightly parted in amazement and the white slender wrist being close to his. For a brief moment Thorin wanted to wrap that wrist and pull him close, to capture those perfect lips with his clumsy ones, to have a taste of this beautiful magical creature. But he took deep breaths and controlled himself.

This was the best moment of his reality for the past hundred years and Thorin would certainly not let his fantasy ruining it. If he thought about it, Thorin could imagine many of scenarios where his dirty calloused hands touching that smooth perfect skin to be a humiliation and Thranduil wouldn't treat him so nicely as he would now. The merman's nice companionship was like a rare fire sparkling in his life and he would try keeping it up as best as he can, until Thranduil had to leave eventually.

**Author's Note:**

> From a prompt I received: mermaid, demon and Christmas.
> 
> My friend wanted this to be posted asap so here it is. It should be a Christmas gift but I was so occupied with my work. so now happy new year to you all. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Let me know what you think about these 2 characters and we shall see where they're heading next to :3


End file.
